← All events
GCA Conf '25
A conference on the future of games, esports and digital art within Digital Bridge 2025: five panels, a keynote, a pitch-and-roast of 10 teams, an exhibition of 23 studios and a VR playground.
Results
How it ended
events.gca.studiosNote
10Teams
23Studios
EXPO IEC
Venue
Lvl 1 · Main stagePlenary sessions with expertsTalks with practical casesPitch-and-roast
Lvl 2 · Workshop ZoneHands-on workshopsMentoring with experts
Lvl 3 · GameZone & Digital Art ExhibitionLocal and international indie gamesDigital art and VR/AR projectsPlay the games and meet the authors
Lvl 4 · NetworkingInformal evening meetup
Programme
The day's programme
Hall 2 · first floor
Presenting Kazakhstan's GameDev community — GCA. Announcements: Omerun and GameDev Connect meetups, ShuSchool and Shu Studio, Silk Rock Jam
- David Tuganov
- Lev Tarasov
- Malika Igibaeva
- moderator — David Tuganov
Hall 2 · first floor
Keynote
- Jessica Tams
Hall 2 · first floor
Panel 1 · Trends and growth strategies. AI and GameDev
Leaders of major studios on the trends shaping the industry, growth strategies and how AI is changing game development.
- Artem Slesarenko
- Irakli Petrov
- Ilya Korchagin
- Vladimir Barinov
- Adil Tasimov
- Akmal Salikhov
- moderator — David Tuganov
Hall 2 · first floor
Panel 2 · A success strategy for indie studios
Challenges and opportunities for independent developers: from funding to marketing and going global.
- Lev Tarasov
- Sergey Syskin
- Elizaveta Morozova
- Olzhas Akparov
- moderator — Malika Igibaeva
Hall 2 · first floor
Panel 3 · Esports: trends, business, potential
Organization leaders and pro players on the state and future of esports: trends, business models, commercial potential.
- Abylaykhan Zhakanov
- Evgeny Bogatyrev
- Toktaul Rabatov
- Toktar Arystan
- moderator — Alisher Kairbekov
Hall 2 · first floor
Panel 4 · Animation and art
Leading animation and digital-art practitioners on creative process, the role of visual style and trends in animation and game art.
- Kanat Nurkanov
- Abylay Kusainov
- Kamilya Zhakiyanova
- Magira Tleuberdina
- Rinat Akhmediyarov (eri künsai)
- moderator — Albert Asqaruly
Hall 2 · first floor
GameDev in Uzbekistan
- Akmal Salikhov
Hall 2 · first floor
Developing and operating a game product in 2025
- Anton Andreychenko
Hall 2 · first floor
Panel 5 · Artists in GameDev · Simulator games in education
An art director on the range of artist roles in GameDev, and a research-lab head on simulators and game technology in education.
- Sergey Syskin
- Aleksandra Knysheva
- moderator — David Tuganov
Hall 2 · first floor
Hall 1 · ground floor
Game studio exhibition — 23 studios
Hall 1 · ground floor
VR shooter playground
Hall 1 · ground floor
GameDev pitch-and-roast — 10 teams
10 minutes per team; the top 3 receive prizes. Jury — Sergey Syskin, Grigory Ivanov, Ilya Korchagin, Artem Niyazov.
- Sergey Syskin
- Grigory Ivanov
- Ilya Korchagin
- Artem Niyazov
Hall 1 · ground floor
Virtual photography in games
- Darkhan Zhagiparov
Hall 1 · ground floor
People as the foundation of the industry: networking, community and belonging
- Vladimir Pak
Hall 1 · ground floor
Game design, plainly
- Amirkhan Gabdylkarim
Hall 1 · ground floor
Multiplayer in Unity: client-server architecture, NGO, Mirror
- Daulet Turgaliev
Hall 1 · ground floor
Video game localization
- Elizaveta Morozova
Hall 1 · ground floor
Prize draw
Hall 1 · ground floor
Evening GameDev meetup · informal
Venue — TBA
Speakers · 37
Who is speaking
David Tuganov
Board member, Creative Industries Alliance of Qazaqstan; founder, TransforNATION Impact Fund
Jessica Tams
Board member, Atari; Venture Partner, Griffin Gaming Partners
Ilya Korchagin
Founder & CEO, Take Top Entertainment
Vladimir Barinov
Founder, VARDIX group and DreamLight Studio
Malika Igibaeva
Game designer, art director and project director, SHŪ
Lev Tarasov
IT Producer, 3D expert, Founder & CEO OMNIUM.KZ
Sergey Syskin
Art director, SPARTA 2035
Elizaveta Morozova
Project lead, SolidRock
Evgeny Bogatyrev
CEO, Pinger.Pro
Abylaykhan Zhakanov
Founder, Game of Drones
Daulet Turgaliev
Unity/Defold developer
Irakli Petrov
Game designer and mobile producer, Mytona
Grigory Ivanov
Ex Project Manager, Mytona
Artem Slesarenko
Founder, Profland, Rhinotales studio, Inspations
Vladimir Pak
Founder, Almaty Game Developers Club (AKIRA); organizer, GameJam SU
Askhat Khalimov
CEO, Baysa Entertainment; CEO, Digital Laboratory
Elina Kim
GameDev Center Astana Hub; co-founder, Borsyq Games
Amirkhan Gabdylkarim
Lead Game Designer, OGames
Artem Niyazov
Senior Location Game Designer, Playrix
Aleksey Nazarov
Founder & CEO, Cyber Temple group
Adil Tasimov
COO / Producer, OGames
Toktaul Rabatov
Esports operator and content creator
Olzhas Akparov
Co-founder, CBDO, Cyber Temple
Zhansaya Kasymtaeva
Moderator · CTO GCA, GameDev community manager
Aleksandra Knysheva
Head, GameLab KBTU
Anton Andreychenko
CEO, Grand Games
Darkhan Zhagiparov
Photographer and visual artist
Albert Asqaruly
CEO, KEME animation studio
Akmal Salikhov
Business Development Director, East Games
Kanat Nurkanov
CEO, GLITCH ANIMATION LAB
Abylay Kusainov
Comic artist
Kamilya Zhakiyanova
Background artist, illustrator, animator
Alisher Kairbekov
CEO, ALLINNERS esports organization
Magira Tleuberdina
Digital artist, comic author
Rinat Akhmediyarov (eri künsai)
Manga artist, illustrator, founder of Künsai Studio
Toktar Arystan
CS2 esports player
Gabit Serikbaev
Co-founder, LNJ Studio; Product Manager
Registration closed
The event has passed or the intake is over.